Night depository



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NIGHT DEPCSITORY Filed Feb. 27, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 j/g j IN VENTOR.

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Aug-25,1959 N.J.KRUG' j 2,901,165

NIGHT DEPOSITORY Filed Feb. 27, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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' NIGHT DEPOSITORY Filed Feb. 27, 1957- 5 Sheets-Sfieet 4 j/g /Z 1 5 14 INVENTOR.

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NIGHT DEPOSITORY Filed Feb. 27, 1957 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 arm/ways.

United States Patent NIGHT DEPOSITORY Newton J. Krug, Cincinnati, Ohio, assiguor to The Mosler Safe Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application February 27, 1957, Serial No. 642,840

18 Claims. (Cl. 232-44) This invention relates to night depositories of the type used by banks and other commercial establishments for receiving deposits after regular business hours; and is particularly directed to a night depository having novel means for preventing withdrawal of deposits by unauthorized persons.

A conventional night depository includes a depository head or frame mounted in an outside wall of a building. The depository head is provided with one or more openings into which deposits are inserted. These openings communicate with an inclined chute which, in turn, empties into a receiving safe placed in the basement or some other area inside the building. In using such a depository, a merchant or other customer desiring to make a deposit after normal banking hours places his currency, checks, and the like, in a bag or envelope and drops it into the depository. The following day the customer obtains his bag or envelope from the safe and deposits its contents in a conventional manner.

Inherently, a night depository system of this type which connects with the outside wall of a bank building is more vulnerable to burglarizing than a regular bank safe. In fact, ingenious thieves have devised many fishing and trapping techniques which in the past have enabled them to remove sizable deposits from night depositories.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a night depository which is effective to prevent deposits from being withdrawn in any manner after the customer has placed them in the depository and has closed the depository door.

The present invention is predicated upon the concept of providing a depository including movable baffle members effective to block the chute entrance, and to positively displace the article deposited to a position in registry with the mouth of an inclined chute. In addition to the bafies, the present depository includes irregularly shaped members adapted to engage the deposit bag, or envelope, in such a manner that if an attempt is made to withdraw an article in a reverse direction outwardly past the bafiie members, the article is firmly clamped within the depository and causes the movable baflle member to jam, preventing opening of the depository door.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates a night depository having an envelope receiving section and a bag receiving section. Each of these sections includes a door providing an opening to a passageway, or chute, leading to a receiving safe. Each of the sections further includes a baflie mechanism comprising movable members adapted to be shifted upon movement of the door associated with the section and adapted to provide at all times, a bafiie extending across the deposit receiving passageway. The battle mechanisms are further eifective to engage and positively shift the deposited article into the inclined chute. In addition to the bafiie mechanisms, each section includes a plurality of serrated members disposed in the deposit passageway and adapted to impale or otherwise grip the deposited article in the event that an attempt is made to withdraw it outwardly past the battle, after it has been deposited. These serrated members also cooperate with the bafiie members to clamp the article so that it becomes wedged in the path of the baflie member restricting movement of that member and preventing opening of the depository door.

It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the depository includes both a bag receiving section and an envelope receiving section, these sections function independently of one another and can be used independently if desired.

It is one concept of the present invention to provide a bag receiving depository comprising a pivotally mounted outer hopper adapted to initially receive a deposit bag, a rotatable inner hopper adapted to gather in any bag which tends to remain in the outer hopper and to provide a bafiie across the depository opening and an ejector plate pivotally mounted within the inner hopper and adapted to positively eject the bag from the hoppers into a chute. The outer hopper is connected to the hopper door and pivots with that door. Means are provided for rotating the inner hopper in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the outer hopper so that any bag residing in the outer hopper when the door is opened is automatically gathered into the inner hopper as the door is closed. By the time the door is fully closed, the inner and outer hoppers are rotated to positions in which they open into an inclined chute. In addition to these elements, means are provided for shifting the ejector member, as the door is closed, from a position adjacent to an inner hopper wall to a position spaced from the Wall. Consequently, the ejector plate, in effect, sweeps across the interior of the inner hopper and positively ejects its contents downwardly into the chute.

The bag receiving section includes a plurality of depending pivotally mounted fingers preferably configurated to include teeth, or similar downwardly facing projections, adapted to catch a bag and prevent its upward withdrawal. As explained below, these fingers are so positioned that a bag which becomes caught on the fingers adjacent to the hoppers is tightly wedged between the inner and outer hoppers when an attempt is made to open the hopper door. A bag which is so wedged, positively prevents the door from being opened so that a thief is unable to gain access to the partially withdrawn bag. The fingers further cooperate with a pivotally mounted locking member which is shifted by the fingers whenever they are pivoted by contact with a bag, trap, or the like. The locking member is shifted into the path of the outer hopper restricting outward movement of the hopper and preventing the hopper door from being opened.

As explained in detail below, the fingers and locking member are highly advantageous since they not only prevent the hopper door from being opened if a bag is trapped near the mouth of the chute but prevent the hopper door from being opened if the receiving safe and chute are completely filled. In this latter event, a depositor is prevented from opem'ng the hopper door to make a deposit, thereby eliminating the possibility that a depositor would place a bag in the depository when it was so full that the bag could not be properly ejected but might remain in a position in which it would be accessible to a thief. Additionally, as explained below, the pivotal fingers and locking member further function to prevent the hopper door from being closed if a trap is present within the hopper and contacts the fingers. This provides an obvious warning to depositors that the depository has been tampered with and that it is not safe to place a bag in it.

The envelope depository section of the unit includes an envelope receiving opening, or slot, formed in the depository head and adapted to be closed by a pivotally mounted flap, or door. This flap, or door, is intercom nected with a pivoted battle member which cooperates with a baffle section on the door to form a solid bafile across the envelope passageway at all times. The battle member includes two sets of spaced fingers adapted to extend between a plurality of toothed runners which incline downwardly from the slot and form a supporting surface for the deposited envelopes. The baffle is interconnected with the envelope door in such a manner that when the envelope door is open, spaced fingers on one wall of the baffle are disposed above the envelope opening; and when the envelope flap is closed, these fingers move past the opening between spaced runners and positively shift the deposited envelope to the mouth of an inclined chute.

In the preferred embodiment, the pivoted bafile includes a second set of fingers spaced from the first set. Both sets of fingers are shifted outwardly between the runners when the envelope door is open so that, if an envelope is trapped or for some other reason, does not drop into the chute, it is engaged by the second set of fingers and wedged against the downwardly facing teeth of the runners. The envelope is thus firmly held against withdrawal. Furthermore, the envelope prevents further outward movement of the bafile or door.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cut-away perspective view of a night depository of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a night depository;

Figure 3 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken generally along the line of 33 of Figure 2 but showing the depository hopper in its open position;

Figure 4 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing the hopper in a partially closed position;

Figure 5 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing the hopper in its closed position;

Figure 6 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a partial semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view through the hopper and chute showing the relationship of the hopper and serrated fingers;

Figure 9 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken through the depository and chute showing the manner in which the serrated fingers prevent withdrawal of a bag from the chute;

Figure 10 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 2 showing the envelope door in its closed position;

Figure 11 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to Figure 10 showing the envelope door in an open position;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 4;

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Figure 10;

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14-14 of Figure 2; and

Figure 15 is a semi-diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to Figure 9 showing the manner in which closure of the hopper and door is blocked by the locking member.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 14, one preferred form of night depository unit 10 embodying the principles of the present invention includes a frame 11 adapted to be mounted over an opening in a masonry wall 12 of a bank or other commercial establishment. The frame has two vertically spaced door openings normally closed by a hopper door 13, and an envelope door 14, respectively associated with the bag receiving section 16 and envelope 4 receiving section 15 of the depository. Envelope receiving section 15 and bag receiving section 16 communicate with inclined chutes 17 and '18 which lead from the depository to a suitable receiving safe (not shown) disposed within the building. While the particular embodiment shown is a dual purpose unit, i.e.: one adapted to receive both envelope deposits and bag deposits; it is to be understood that either the envelope receiving section, or the bag receiving section, can be used separately if desired.

Outer frame 11 forms part of the depository housing 19 which also includes an upper wall 20, a lower wall 21, and side walls 22 and 23. A transverse arcuate divider wall 24 extends between the side walls to define an envelope passageway 25 and a bag passageway 26. These passageways respectively communicate with inclined chutes 17 and 18 which are bolted, or otherwise secured, to the housing as at 27.

Bag receiving section 16 of the depository includes hopper door 13 formed of stainless steel or the like. The inner surface of this hopper door carries journal blocks 2828 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the inner face of the door adjacent to the lower edge thereof. These blocks receive an elongated shaft 30 which passes through the bearing blocks and is supported in bosses 31 mounted on the inner surface of frame 11; outwardly of side walls 22 and '23. The outer ends of shaft 30 are preferably threaded to receive nuts 32 for holding the shaft in assembled relation with the frame and door.

The upper edge of door 13 carries a pull member 33 and a key actuated auxiliary lock 34. This lock, which constitutes no part of the present invention, includes a key receiving cylinder 35 extending through an opening in the door and an upwardly extending latch member 36 adapted to engage a keeper plate 37 bolted, or otherwise secured, to the inner face of frame 11. The upper edge of the door also carries a spring loaded detent member 40 adapted to be received in a suitable recess 41 formed in the door frame 11. Detent 40 is effective to prevent a customer from removing his key from the lock until the door is relocked after it has once been opened. That is, the detent cooperates with the lock to hold the key in the lock from the time the door is unlocked and opened until the detent mechanism is tripped when the door is again closed. Lock 34 is constructed so that the key cannot be withdrawn from the lock when the latch member 36 is retracted. When the key is inserted in the lock to retract latch member 36 and the door is pulled outwardly, detent member 40 is shifted under the influence of its spring to engage the latch 36 and prevent it from moving outwardly. Thus, the key is held in the lock until the door is closed when the detent engages a portion of the housing and is disengaged from the latch member 36 so that that member moves outwardly permitting the lock to be turned and the key withdrawn.

Door 13 carries an outer hopper 42 which is adapted to receive a deposit bag when the door is pivoted to its open position, shown in Figures 1 and 3. Hopper 42 includes side walls 43 and 44 and inner wall 45 and an outer wall 46. Outer wall 46 includes an arcuate bafile portion 47 extending inwardly from the upper edge of door 13 and a tray section 48 extending from arcuate section 47 toward the lower edge of door 13. As best shown in Figure 2, tray section 48 of wall 46 is joined to inner wall 45 through an arcuate wall portion 50 which as explained below, is preferably of substantially the same radius as inner hopper 51. Outer hopper 42 is secured to door 13 in any suitable manner, such as by means of clamping shoes 53 which are bolted to the inner face of door 13 as by bolts 54 and clamp flanges 55 of side walls 43 and 44 against the inner face of the door.

Outer hopper 42 carries an inner hopper 51, the inner hopper being rotatably supported within the outer hopper. More particularly, inner hopper 51 comprises side walls 56 and 57. Shafts 58 having radial flanges 59 are secured to the outer surfaces of the side walls as by means of bolts passing through the flanges and threadably engaging the side walls. Shafts 58 are rotatably journalled in bushings 60 press-fit, or otherwise mounted, in suitable openings formed in side walls 43 and 44 of the outer hopper.

The inner hopper 51 also includes an arcuate transverse wall 61 extending between side walls 56 and 57 of the hopper. In the particular embodiment shown, this transverse wall extends along approximately a semicircle of substantially the same radius as wall 50 of the outer hopper. Functionally, arcuate transverse wall 61 extends over a small enough are so that a deposit bag 65 is readily received within the inner hopper and is readily discharged therefrom; and is of sufiicient extent so that it blocks 01f access to the chute when the hopper door is completely open as shown in Figure 3, and in its intermediate positions as shown in Figure 4. The outer surface of transverse wall 61 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially extending spaced ribs 66. These ribs are adapted to be received within a like plurality of grooves 67 formed between spaced strips 68 welded to, or formed, integral with portions of inner wall 45, tray 48, and arouate wall 50 of the outer hopper. Ribs 66 and strips 68 function to prevent shim members and similar trapping elements from being inserted between the inner and outer hopper.

In addition to these elements, the inner hopper 51 carries a large gear 70 forming part of the drive means for rotating the inner hopper in a direction counter to'the direction of pivotal movement of the outer hopper. As best shown in Figure 12, gear 70 is mounted upon a threaded extension of shaft 58 joined to wall 43. Gear 70 is fixed relative to the shaft in any suitable manner, such as by means of keys, set screws, or the like. Gear 70 is thus mounted concentric with the axis of rotation of inner hopper 51 and is disposed for engagement with an arcuate rack 72 secured in any suitable manner, such as by means of bolts 73, to side wall 23 of the depository housing. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 6, when hopper door 13 and outer hopper 42 are pivoted outwardly about shaft 30, shafts 5858 and gear 70 are shifted along an are indicated by arrow 71. Gear 70 is thus shifted relative to stationary rack 72 and is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 74.

Inner hopper 51 also carries an ejector plate 75. This ejector plate extends substantially the entire distance across inner hopper 51 and is pivotally mounted as by means of hinges 76 adjacent to edge 77 of arcuate transverse wall 61 of the hopper. As best shown in Figure 14, edge 77 is disposed beneath the remainder of arcuate wall 61 when hopper door 13 is closed. In the particular embodiment shown, ejector plate 75 includes a straight section 78 extending across a chord of arcuate wall 61 and a short curved endwise section 80 adapted to lie against this wall as diagrammatically shown in Figures 3, 4 and 9.

Cam means are provided for shifting ejector plate 75 from a position adjacent to arcuate wall 61 when the hopper door is open, to a position spaced from the wall when the hopper is closed. As shown in Figure 5, when moving to this latter position, the ejector plate functions to sweep the inner hopper and positively eject its contents into discharge chute 18. The cam means for effecting movement of ejector plate 75 is shown in Figure 12 and includes followers 81 carried by a bar 82 having a longi tudinal bore, the bar being welded or otherwise secured to the rear face of the ejector plate. Followers 81 are disposed for engagement with grooves 83 formed in cam plates 84, these cam plates being welded or otherwise mounted upon the inner faces 85 of outer hopper walls 43 and 44. As shown in Figures 3-5 and Figure 14, each of the cam grooves 83 includes a generally circular portion 86 and an inwardly directed portion 87. Followers 81 are disposed to engage generally circular sections 86 when the hopper door is open, as shown in Figure 3, and to engage inwardly directed portions 87 when the hopper door is closed, as shown in Figure 5. The interengagement of followers 81 and cam grooves 83 is thus effective to cause pivotal movement of ejector plate 75 away from hopper wall 61 as the hopper door 13 is closed. It is to be understood that inner hopper end Walls 56 and 57 are provided with arcuate grooves 90 for receiving followers 81 and accommodating their pivotal movements relative to the inner hopper.

Bag receiving section 16 of the depository also includes a plurality of depending serrated fingers 91. A preferred configuration of these fingers is shown in Figures 1 and 14. As there shown, each of the fingers 91 is generally tapered to form a depending point 92. Each of the fingers also includes a plurality of downwardly facing pointed teeth 93; the end of each tooth extends outwardly beyond the adjacent face portion 94 of the finger. These fingers are spaced transversely of the bag passageway 26 and are pivotally mounted adjacent to their upper ends upon a transverse rod 95 carried by suitable brackets 96 bolted, or otherwise secured, to upper wall 24 of the bag receiving unit. A transverse locking plate 97, pivotally mounted on pin 98 carried by brackets 96 extends across the upper edges of fingers 91. This locking plate is disposed closely adjacent to the arc of travel of edge 99 of outer hopper wall 45 and includes an outwardly facing shoulder 100, which as explained below, is adapted upon pivotal movement of fingers 91 to engage the under surface of the end of wall 45. This is best shown in Figure 15 Also as explained below, the free end 101 of locking plate 97 is adapted to be pivoted outwardly into engagement with the upper surface of edge 99 of hopper wall 45, as shown in Figure 9.

Envelope receiving section 15 of the depository is provided with a door or closure member 14. As best shown in Figures 1 and 14, door 14 comprises a vertically extending closure plate 102 having a pull 103 formed on the upper edge thereof. Closure plate 102 is bolted, or otherwise secured, to handle arms 104, the handle arms being pivotally mounted upon an elongated shaft 105 carried by blocks 106 secured to side Walls 22 and 23 of the depository frame. Arms 104 are substantially U-shaped and carry at their upper edges an arcuate haflie plate 107, the inner end of which terminates in downwardly extending lip 108. Door arms 104 additionally carry pins 110 providing an interconnection between the arms and pivoted baflle member 111.

More particularly, pivoted 1baflle member 111 comprises two walls 112 and 113 having spaced lower ends 114 and 115. In the embodiment shown, these arms are angulated with respect to one another forming an inverted V. The apex 116 of the V is pivotally supported on transverse rod 117 carried by blocks 118 mounted upon side walls 22 and 23 of the depository frame. Walls 112 and 113 carry an arcuate guide panel 120 which extends between the walls and defines with the Walls and spaced runner members 121, an envelope receiving compartment 122 best shown in Figure 11. Guide panel 120 preferably includes a plurality of spaced peripheral grooves adapted to receive comb strips 138 as explained below. Pivoted baffle 111 further includes side walls 123 and 124 extending between spaced walls 112 and 113 and including slots 125 adapted to slidably receive pins 110. Outer wall 113 of the pivoted bafiie member 111 also carries an outwardly extending transverse flange 127. This flange is adapted to pass upwardly through slot 128 in plate 130 to prevent envelopes from inadvertently being inserted above wall 113, as is best shown in Fig. me 11.

A plurality of runners 121 are spaced transversely of envelope pasageway 122 and are inclined downwardly from envelope receiving slot 129. These runners are preferably provided with a series of downward facing teeth 131 formed on the upper edges of the runners. As best shown in Figure 14, each of the teeth 131 extends outwardly beyond the adjacent edge portion 132 of the runner and includes an undercut edge 133. The lower edges of the runners are notched as at 134 for receiving a mounting strip 135 which is welded to the runners and bolted to divider wall 124. The lower ends 114 and 115 of baffle walls 112, and 113 are provided with a plurality of slots 136 and fingers 137. The slots are adapted to receive stationary runners 121; while fingers 137 are adapted to pass between adjacent runners. In the preferred embodiment, fingers 137 extend an appreciable distance below the upper edges of runners 121 and slots 136 barely clear teeth 131 so that the walls of the pivoted hopper effectively comb a substantial length of the runners.

In addition to these elements, the envelope receiving section of the depository includes a plurality of spaced arcuate comb strips 138 secured to a plate 140, bolted or otherwise mounted upon the upper wall 20 of the housing. As best shown in Figures 10 and 14, these comb strips pass through suitable openings 141 in rear wall 112 of the rotatable bafi'le member and are received within the peripheral grooves formed in arcuate guide panel 120. These comb members are eifective to positively remove any envelope or other article adhering to panel 120 and to discharge the article downwardly into chute 17.

In operation, if -a customer desires to deposit a bag in the depository, he first inserts a key in lock 34 and unlocks hopper door 13. The depositor then grasps handle 33 and pulls hopper door 13 outwardly, in a counterclockwise direction in Figures 35 and 14. As the hopper door pivots outwardly about hinge pins 30, the outer hopper which is carried by the door also pivots outwardly carrying with it inner hopper 51. As the inner hopper is shifted outwardly, gear 70 tracks upon arcuate rack 72 so that inner hopper 51 is rotated about shafts 58 in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of the outer hopper (clockwise in Figures 35 and 14).

During initial outward movement of the door, the bag receiving opening remains blocked by the arcuate baffle section 47 of the outer hopper. As door 13 is opened further, to a position corresponding to that shown in Figure 4, inner hopper 51 is rotated to a position in which arcuate wall 61 with wall 45 completely blocks entry to chute 18. This arcuate wall 61 continues to block chute 18 as the hopper door 13 is pivoted to its completely open position, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. When the hopper door has been completely opened, the customer places a deposit Ibag (indicated at 65 in Figures 35 and 9) on tray portion 48 of the outer hopper and pivots the hopper door upwardly, as indicated in Figure 4.

As the hopper door and outer hopper are pivoted upwardly, inner hopper 51 is rotated in counterclockwise direction about shafts 58. Deposit bag 65 rolls downwardly into contact with arcuate wall portion 50 of the outer hopper and transverse wall 61 of the inner hopper. As shown in Figure 4, in this portion of the operating cycle, ejector plate 75 is held against wall 61 of the inner hopper. As hopper door 13 is moved toward its closed position illustrated in Figure 5, the inner hopper continues to rotate until the opening betweenthe spaced edges of transverse wall 61 faces downwardly in registry with the open space between hopper walls 45 and 46 and the mouth of chute 18. During the final movement of the door, ejector plate 75 is pivoted downwardly away from wall 61 to force bag 65 from the hoppers. The bag then normally slides downwardly through chute 18 into the storage vault.

It is to be noted that during the entire operating cycle of the bag depositing mechanism, one or more baffle members is interposed between the bag opening in frame 11 and chute 18. Consequently, there is no direct access path by means of which articles can be withdrawn from the chute. In the event that a thief should insert a trap in the deposit, for example, by placing two-sided adhesive tape on the walls of the inner or outer hopper, or by inserting thin curved metal strips or a thread or paper trap in the hoppers, such a trap is rendered inefiective because the inner hopper in its rotation gathers in the depository bag, and then the ejector plate 75 positively forces the bag downwardly from the hoppers. However, should the bag still be restrained by some line or other element from dropping into the chute, upward withdrawal of the bag is elfectively resisted by serrated fingers 93 on arms 91. The bag tends to become impaled upon these fingers and is held in a position such that when the thief attempts to open hopper door 13 the bag is caught between the downwardly advancing edge of inner hopper wall 61 and upwardly moving wall 45 of the outer hopper. Thus, the inner hopper wall 61 actually functions somewhat like a dull shear blade, tightly clamping the bag against any efforts to remove it.

Should the bag become trapped at a point further along the bag passageway, as shown in Figure 9, a slightly dif ferent action takes place. In this position, the inner and outer hopper walls clear the trapped bag and no wedging action takes place. However, the bag displaces depending arms 91 to the right causing latch member 97 to be pivoted in a clockwise direction about shaft 98. The lowermost edge 101 of the locking member is thus shifted into the path of movement of wall 45 of the outer hopper, and effectively prevents the hopper from being opened beyond the position shown in Figure 9. In this position the inner hopper and wall 45 provide a baffle extending completely across bag passageway 26 preventing any access to the deposit bag.

It will be appreciated that the action of depending arms 91 described above also is effective to prevent a user of the depository from inserting a bag if the depository is completely filled so that the last bag previously deposited rests in the position shown in Figure 9.

Additionally, depending arms 91 and locking bar 97 function to prevent the hopper door from closing if the presence of a trap or the like within the depository causes arms 91 to be displaced. If these arms are shifted after the hopper door has been opened and hopper wall 45 has passed upwardly beyond the locking bar, closing, or clockwise, movement of the hopper is restricted by the engagement of shoulder with the undersurface of hopper wall 45. Consequently, a depositor upon noting that the hopper door could not be closed would realize that something was wrong, and would not leave his deposit bag in the hopper.

The envelope receiving section 15 of the depository functions completely independently of the bag receiving section. A customer wishing to place an envelope in the envelope section, pulls envelope door outwardly to the position shown in Figures 1 and 11. As the envelope door is pulled outwardly, arms 104 pivot about shaft 105; and the engagement of connecting pins with slots 125 in the side walls of the bafile member 111 forces the baffle member to pivot upwardly in a clockwise direction in Figures 10, 11 and 14 to a position in which wall 113 is disposed above the slot and lies adjacent to upper plate 130. The envelope is then inserted through envelope receiving slot 129 and enters the space defined by arcuate wall 120, runners 121, and spaced end walls 114 and 115 of the pivoted baffle member. The envelope cannot be inserted above wall 113 because of flange 127 which extends upwardly through a slot in plate 130. After the envelope has been inserted, the door which is preferably counter-weighted by the configuration of arms 104 and the pivoted baffle member, closes automatically. It is to be understood that the door can also be closed by pushing it upwardly; and that at times this may be necessary to forcibly eject an envelope stuck on runners 121. As the door closes, pivoted baflie member 111 swings downwardly in a counterclockwise direction and the envelope slides down nunners 121 and down inclined chute 17 into the receiving safe.

As indicated above, one of the most common methods used by thieves to trap envelope deposits, is to make a U-shaped trap of spring steel, or paper, and place it within the envelope slot where it catches deposited envelopes, which are subsequently withdrawn. Alternatiyely, a thief may place a small bag or the like in the envelope slot, the bag being supported by string or the like. Another trapping technique involves the insertion of shims of very thin spring steel through the envelope slot. These shims are bent to form hooks which catch an envelope and hold it in a position in which it can subsequently be grasped and withdrawn. In still another frequently used trapping method, sticky two-sided tape is placed inside the depository to catch envelopes just within the mouth of the depository.

The present envelope depository prevents an envelope from being withdrawn by any of these trapping techniques, or fishing techniques, in which hooked lines are dropped through the slot and used to snare envelopes Which are pulled outwardly through the slot. In the first place, arcuate bafile wall 107 on the envelope door and pivoted baffle member 111 cooperate so that a solid balfle is at all times placed across the envelope passageway, rendering it impossible to withdraw envelopes from the chute outwardly through the envelope slot. Moreover, when an envelope has been placed in the slot, the spaced fingers 137 on end 115 of wall 113 which pass between spaced runner members 121 positively force the envelope downwardly to a position in which it can slide into chute 17; thereafter scraper blades 138 passing through the grooves in arcuate baflie wall 120 force any envelope adhering to that surface to drop into chute 17. If an envelope should be trapped in some manner beyond the path of fingers 137 on wall 133 and an attempt should be made to withdraw the envelope, the envelope will catch upon the undercut faces of teeth 131 on runners 121. As the thief attempts to open the envelope door to grasp the envelope, the fingers 137 on wall 112 of the pivotal bafie will engage the envelope and will firmly wedge the envelope against the runners to prevent further opening of the door or withdrawal of the envelope.

From the foregoing discussion of the general principles of the present invention and the above discussion of a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend various modifications to which the invention is susceptible.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A night depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening formed therein, a door for closing said opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing and adapted to be rotated outwardly through said opening, an inner hopper disposed within said outer hopper, said inner hopper having an arcuate transverse wall and being rotatably carried by said outer hopper, means operable upon the closing of said door for rotating said inner hopper relative to said outer hopper, whereby the arcuate wall of said inner hopper is shifted in close proximity to a wall of said outer hopper, an ejector member pivotally mounted within said inner hopper, and means for shifting said ejector member from a position adjacent to one wall of said inner hopper to a position spaced therefrom, whereby said transverse wall of said inner hopper sweeps a wall of said outer hopper and said ejector member sweeps said inner hopper.

2. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door pivotally secured to said housing and adapted to close said bag receiving opening, an outer hopper mounted within said housing and carried by said door, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, said inner hopper having an arcuate transverse wall, means operable upon the closing of said door for rotating said inner hopper relative to said outer hopper, whereby the arcuate transverse we? of said inner hopper is shifted in close proximity to a wall of the outer hopper, an ejector member mounted within said inner hopper and means operable when said door is closed for shifting said ejector member from a position adjacent to a wall of said inner hopper to a second position remote therefrom, whereby said transverse wall of said inner hopper sweeps said outer hopper and said ejector member sweeps said inner hopper.

3. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door adapted to close said bag receiving opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, said inner hopper having an arcuate transverse wall, means operable upon the closing of said door for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of said outer hopper, whereby the arcuate wall of said inner hopper is shifted in close proximity to a wall of said outer hopper, an ejector member mounted within said inner hopper, and means operable when said door is closed for shifting said ejector member from -a position adjacent to a wall of said inner hopper to a second position remote therefrom whereby said transverse wall of said inner hopper sweeps said outer hopper and said ejector member sweeps said inner hopper.

4. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door adapted to close said bag receiving opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, means for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of said outer hopper, an ejector member mounted within said inner hopper, and means operable when said door is closed for shifting said ejector member from a position adjacent to a wall of said inner hopper to a second position remote therefrom, said first named means comprising an arcuate stationary rack, means mounting said rack upon said housing, a pinion disposed for engagement with said rack, and means interconnecting said pinion and said inner hopper.

5. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door adapted to close said bag receiving opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper, shafts secured to said inner hopper and journalled in said outer hopper, means for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of said outer hopper, an ejector member mounted within said inner hopper, and means operable when said door is closed for shifting said ejector member from a position adjacent to a wall of said inner hopper to a second position remote therefrom, said first named means comprising an arcuate stationary rack, means mounting said rack upon said housing, and a pinion mounted upon one of said shafts in engagement with said rack.

6. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door adapted to close said bag receiving opening, an outer hopper mounted on the interior of said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, means operable upon the closing of said door for rotating said inner hopper relative to said outer hopper, said inner hopper including a transverse wall, said transverse wall being shifted upon rotation of said inner hopper in close proximity to a wall of said outer hopper, an ejector plate mounted within said inner hopper and means operable when said door is closed for shifting said ejector plate from a position adjacent to said transverse wall of said inner hopper to a second position remote therefrom, said last named means comprising a follower secured to said ejector plate, and a stationary cam track secured to said housing in engagement with said follower.

7. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening, a door pivotally secured to said housing adjacent to the door receiving opening, said door being rotatable about a horizontal axis and being adapted 11 to close said opening, an outer hopper mounted on the interior of said door, said outer hopper comprising front, rear, and side walls, an inner hopper nested within said outer hopper and including side walls and a transverse wall interconnecting said side walls, shafts for rotatably supporting the side walls of said inner hopper upon the side walls of said outer hopper, a gear mounted upon one of said shafts, a stationary rack mounted upon said housing, said stationary rack being of arcuate configuration and being disposed in engagement with said gear whereby said inner hopper is rotated within said outer hopper in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said outer hopper, an ejector plate pivotally mounted within said inner hopper and extending between the side walls thereof, a follower member secured to said ejector plate, a side wall of said outer hopper having an opening formed therein for receiving said follower, a cam member including a groove for receiving said follower mounted within said housing, said cam groove being configurated to include an inwardly directed portion engaged by said follower when the hopper door is closed, whereby said ejector plate is pivoted relative to said inner hopper away from the transverse wall thereof.

8. In a depository the combination of a housing having a bag receiving opening, a hopper rotatably mounted within said housing, a movable finger, means mounting the upper end of said finger whereby said finger depends within said housing adjacent to said hopper, said depending finger being disposed to engage bags discharged from said hopper and being configurated to form a plurality of projections adapted to engage a bag to prevent its upward withdrawal from the hopper.

9. In a depository the combination of a housing having a bag receiving opening, a hopper rotatably mounted within said housing, a finger movably mounted within said housing adjacent to said hopper, said finger being disposed to engage bags discharged from said hopper, a locking member, means movably mounting said locking member within said hopper adjacent to said finger, whereby said locking member is shiftable, in response to movement of said finger, into engagement with a wall of said hopper for restraining outward movement thereof.

10. In a depository the combination of a housing having a bag receiving opening, a hopper rotatably mounted within said housing, a finger movably mounted within said housing adjacent to said hopper, said finger being disposed to engage bags discharged from said hopper, a locking member, means mounting said locking member within said hopper adjacent to said finger, whereby said locking member is shiftable in response to movement of said finger into engagement with a wall of said hopper for restraining inward movement thereof.

11. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening and a discharge opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, means for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of said outer hopper, said inner and outer hoppers having openings disposed in alignment with the discharge opening when the door is closed, a finger movably mounted within said housing adjacent to the hoppers, said finger being adapted to engage a bag discharge from said hoppers and including a projection adapted to engage a bag for preventing its withdrawal from the depository, said inner and outer hoppers being rotatable relative to said finger whereby a bag restrained by said finger is clamped between said inner and outer hoppers when the depository door is partially opened.

12. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening and a discharge opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, said inner hopper having an arcuate transverse wall, means operable upon pivotal movement of said outer hopper for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to pivotal movement of said outer hopper, said inner and outer hoppers having openings disposed in alignment with the discharge opening when the door is closed, said transverse wall being shifted upon rotation of said inner hopper in close proximity to the wall of said outer hopper, a plurality of fingers pivotally supported by said housing adjacent to said discharge opening, each of said fingers having a plurality of downwardly facing projections adapted to engage a bag discharged from said hoppers and to prevent upward withdrawal of said bag.

13. A depository comprising a housing having a bag receiving opening and a discharge opening, an outer hopper pivotally mounted within said housing, an inner hopper rotatably supported within said outer hopper, means for rotating said inner hopper in a direction opposite to pivotal movement of said outer hopper, said inner and outer hoppers having openings disposed in alignment with the discharge opening when the door is closed, a plurality of fingers pivotally supported by said housing adjacent to said discharge opening, each of said fingers having a plurality of downwardly facing projections adapted to engage a bag discharged from said hoppers and to prevent upward withdrawal of said bag, and a transverse locking bar pivotally mounted to said housing intermediate the upper ends of said fingers and said hoppers, said locking bar being disposed for engagement with said fingers, and being disposed to pivot outwardly in response to pivoting of said fingers, into the path of movement of said outer hopper, said locking member comprising a shoulder adapted to restrain movement of said hopper in one direction and an endwise portion adapted to restrain movement of said hopper in the opposite direction.

14. A depository comprising a housing having an envelope receiving opening, a door pivotally mounted upon said housing and adapted to close said opening, a downwardly inclined stationary runner disposed beneath said envelope opening, a rotatable baffle member pivotally mounted within said housing upon an axis spaced from the pivotal axis of said door and mechanically interconnected with said door for pivotal movement relative to said door, said baffie member including a transverse wall pivoted to a position above said opening when the door is opened and to a position below said opening when the door is closed, said wall moving in close proximity with said runner, whereby said baffie is effective to positively eject envelopes downwardly along said runner.

15. In a depository comprising a housing having an envelope receiving opening, a door pivotally mounted upon said housing and adapted to close said opening, a plurality of laterally spaced downwardly inclined runners disposed beneath said envelope opening, each of said runners including a plurality of downwardly facing teeth, each of said teeth having an undercut lower edge adapted to trap an envelope and prevent its upward withdrawal from said depository, and movable bafiie means including a member pivotally mounted upon an axis spaced from the axis of movement of said door, said member being shiftable in response to the opening of said door, said baffle member having portions disposed to pass between said runners and adapted upon opening of said door to wedge an envelope against the undercut portions of said teeth.

16. In a depository comprising a housing having an envelope receiving opening, a door pivotally mounted upon said housing and adapted to close said opening, a plurality of laterally spaced downwardly inclined runners disposed beneath said envelope opening, each of said runners including a plurality of downwardly facing teeth, each of said teeth having an undercut lower edge adapted to trap an envelope and prevent its upward withdrawal from said depository, a pivotally mounted baffle member interconnected with said door, said bafile member being mounted upon an axis spaced from the axis of pivotal movement of said door, said baffle member including two transverse walls Spaced from one another, each of said walls comprising a plurality of depending fingers adapted to pass between said runners, one wall of said bafiie member being pivoted to a position above said opening when the door is open, and to a position below said opening when the door is closed.

17. In a depository comprising a housing having an envelope receiving opening, a door pivotally mounted upon said housing and adapted to close said opening, a plurality of laterally spaced downwardly inclined runners disposed beneath said envelope opening, each of said runners including -a plurality of downwardly facing teeth, each of said teeth having an undercut lower edge adapted to trap an envelope and prevent its upward withdrawal from said depository, a pivotally mounted baiiie member interconnected with said door, said baffle mem 'ber being pivotally mounted upon an axis spaced from the pivotal axis of said door, said bafile member including two transverse walls spaced from one another, each of said walls comprising a plurality of depending fingers adapted to pass between said runners, one wall of said baflle member being pivoted to a position above said opening when the door is open, and to a position below said opening when the door is closed, and an arcuate guide panel carried by said baflle member between said transverse walls, said guide member, transverse walls and runners defining an envelope receiving chamber when said door is open.

18. In a depository comprising a housing having an envelope receiving opening, a door pivotally mounted upon said housing and adapted to close said opening, a plurality of laterally spaced downwardly inclined runners disposed beneath said envelope opening, each of said runners includinga plurality of downwardly facing teeth, each of said teeth having an undercut lower edge adapted to trap an envelope and prevent its upward withdrawal from said depository, a pivotally mounted bafile member interconnected with said door, said baflle member including two transverse walls spaced from one another, each of said Walls comprising a plurality of depending fingers adapted to pass between said runners, one wall of said bafile member being pivoted to a position above said opening when the door is open, and to a position below said opening when the door is closed, and an arcuate guide panel carried by said baffie member between said transverse walls, said guide member, transverse 'walls and runners defining an envelope receiving chamber when said door is open, and a plurality of arcuate strips mounted upon said housing spaced from said door, said strips being disposed to lie in close proximity to said arcuate guide panel when said baffie is shifted in response to closing of said door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,940 Brown Apr. 15, 1862 488,556 Hall Dec. 27, 1892 2,617,584 Behrens Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 245,381 Great Britain Jan. 7, 1926 

